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4115176 
Journal Article 
Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) Contact Lenses Containing Chitosan Nanoparticles as an Ocular Delivery System for Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate 
Behl, G; Iqbal, J; O'Reilly, NJ; Mcloughlin, P; Fitzhenry, L 
2016 
1 
Pharmaceutical Research
ISSN: 0724-8741
EISSN: 1573-904X 
33 
7 
1638-1648 
English 
26964548 
WOS:000377615600009 
PURPOSE: Dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DXP) is an anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to treat acute and chronic ocular diseases. It is routinely delivered using eye-drops, where typically only 5% of the drug penetrates the corneal epithelium. The bioavailability of such ophthalmic drugs can be enhanced significantly using contact lenses incorporating drug-loaded nanoparticles (NPs).

METHODS: The mechanism of release from chitosan NPs (CS-NPs), synthesized by ionic gelation, was studied in vitro. The DXP loaded CS-NPs were subsequently entrapped in contact lenses and the optical and drug-release properties were assessed.

RESULTS: DXP release from CS-NPs followed diffusion and swelling controlled mechanisms, with an additional proposed impact from the electrostatic interaction between the drug and the CS-NPs. The release rate was found to increase with an increase in drug loading from 20 to 50 wt%. However, an inverse effect was observed when initial loading increased to 100 wt%. NP-laden lenses were optically clear (95-98% transmittance relative to the neat contact lens) and demonstrated sustained DXP release, with approximately 55.73% released in 22 days.

CONCLUSIONS: The release profile indicated that drug levels were within the therapeutic requirement for anti-inflammatory use. These results suggest that these materials might be a promising candidate for the delivery of DXP and other important ophthalmic therapeutics.